Thursday, December 15, 2005

Voters in Memphis went to the polls in September to choose a replacement for John Ford. Ford was arrested for issuing death threats to an undercover FBI agent (three times) and taking bribes in a sting that netted 4 other crooked politicians. The election included Democrat Ophelia Ford (John Ford's sister), Republican Terry Roland, and Independent Robert 'Prince Mongo' Hodges. I wrote about the outcome here.

With another Ford running, what could go wrong?

Records show Joe L. Light, 70, died Aug. 6 of colon cancer, yet someone signed his name on Sept. 15 in the poll book at Precinct 27-1 at Fire Station No. 6 in North Memphis.

The poll book from that location also listed a voter named Archie L. Kirkwood, 72. Kirkwood's daughter told a reporter that her mother had not voted in 10 years and her arthritis made her signature illegible. Besides not voting in a decade and having bad handwriting, Archie Kirkwood died on August 30th of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, two weeks before the election.

The same handwriting for the two dead voters also appears on three additional ballots from the same polling center.

The election was decided by only 13 votes so Republican Terry Roland is asking the Tennessee Senate to overturn the election because of the voting problems. A Senate committee meets on December 21st to review the allegations.